Kingdom Hearts 4 Will Not Be Delayed, Co-Creator Tetsuya Nomura Tells D23 Crowd
Kingdom Hearts 4 is staying on track for its late 2027 release — and co-creator Tetsuya Nomura wants everyone to know it.
Speaking on stage at D23, the Disney and Pixar fan expo held in Anaheim, California, Nomura addressed the question of a potential delay directly. According to IGN, he told the audience: "I want to set the record straight. That is not happening." He described the commitment as a "100% thing," as reported by VideoGames Chronicle (VGC) VGC.
Nomura is co-directing the title and has been the creative driving force behind the Kingdom Hearts series since the first game launched in 2002. The franchise blends characters and worlds from Disney and Pixar films with original action-role-playing combat and a sprawling, multi-game story GameSpot.
Kingdom Hearts 4 was first announced over four years ago, during the franchise's 20th anniversary celebration in 2022, for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. At a Nintendo Direct presentation in June 2026, Square Enix confirmed a Nintendo Switch 2 version as well. The publisher's official press release lists all four platforms and a late 2027 window, and the game is already available to wishlist across storefronts Square Enix Press Release.
For a game that has been in the public eye for more than four years without a firm date, the no-delay reassurance is what fans at D23 were waiting to hear. Nomura's choice to address it on stage — rather than through a press statement — signals that the question had been circulating widely enough to warrant a direct answer.
The Kingdom Hearts series is known for long gaps between numbered entries; the third mainline game, Kingdom Hearts 3, was announced in 2013 and released in 2019. A similar wait for the fourth entry would push the launch well past the current window. Nomura's statement puts that concern to rest, at least for now.
With platforms confirmed, wishlists open and a co-director publicly staking his word on the timeframe, Kingdom Hearts 4 has a clear runway — late 2027, across Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.
